FCSBM members and the Legislative Task Force were able to secure or shape the effects of the following:

Rewarding Teachers and Principals

Academic research supports the finding that great teachers are the key to giving a child a world-class education. Florida needs to recruit and retain the highest quality teachers. This bill revises and expands the Best and Brightest Program in order to provide annual bonuses to qualified teachers in each of the next three years. Best and Brightest teachers receive $6,000, Best and Brightest Title I principals receive $5,000 and other eligible principals receive $4,000. For the next 3 years, all highly effective teachers will receive $1,200 per year and all effective teachers will receive up to $800 per year.

note: in our November Legislative Priorities List, FCSBM wanted to use Best and Brightest to impact low performing schools. Little did we know about the major "schools of hope" initiative, but we are excited to see the feedback incorporated in Best and Brightest.

The bill removes the caps on teacher bonuses based on student passage of AP, IB, AICE, and industry certification exams and revises eligibility requirements for the Minority Teacher Education Scholars Program. The bill also reforms the teacher evaluation process by making use of the student learning growth formula (VAM) optional (Montford), while still providing school districts and administrators with objective data on teacher performance.

Bills heard containing language:

Schools of Hope and Wraparound Services

Too many children in Florida languish in chronically underperforming schools. The bill revises the distribution of Title I funds and provides approximately $140 million to support turn-around efforts in areas of high poverty. First, up to 25 failing public schools may receive up to $2,000 per student for whole school transformation, such as wraparound services. In addition, the Schools of Hope Program incentivizes hope operators who have a track record of academic improvement to operate in Florida.

note: FCSBM was able to make this policy better by urging the legislature to adopt a "#whateverItTakes" approach that incorporated district turn around with funding and flexibility. This will be essential in early phases as attracting High Impact Charter operators to the state will take time. Districts are positioned to act NOW!

Schools of Excellence

The bill gives administrative flexibility to regular district managed public schools with proven track records of academic success.

The bill supports choice by allowing high-performing charter schools to replicate in low performing areas. The bill also expands eligibility for the Gardiner Scholarship Program and provides $30 million in funding for the currently enrolled and for students on the waitlist. It also expands access to virtual education for students throughout the state, and establishes the Committee on Early Childhood Development.

Bills heard containing language:

Assessments

The bill brings common sense back to our statewide testing structure. The bill eliminates the Algebra 2 end-of-course exam, requires paper-based assessments for grades 3-6, moves the majority of statewide assessments to the last 4 weeks of a district’s school year, and provides parents and teachers with timely and useful assessment results to inform instruction. The bill also requires an independent study of ACT/SAT as a replacement for grade 10 ELA assessment and Algebra I EOC assessment. Also requires

The bill responds to the need for more civics education and establishes civic literacy requirements. The bill also requires the Just Read, Florida! Office to develop sequenced, content-rich curriculum programming, instructional practices, and other resources to help elementary schools increase student core knowledge and literacy skills. Also creates a FCSBM local initiative taking it statewide "American Founders Month". This idea first appeared

Bills heard containing language:

Recess

The bill requires traditional public schools to provide 20 minutes of consecutive free play recess per day for students in kindergarten through grade 5.

Bills heard containing language:

Reading

The bill implements intervention and support strategies for students identified with a substantial reading deficiency, and also directs the Lastinger Center to identify strategies to improve phonemic awareness for early readers.

Bills heard containing language:

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Charter Capital Outlay Sharing of Ad Valorem Dollars

This creates equity in funding of all public school students by using local property tax revenues to fund local public school students without regard to the type of institution they attend. Calculation is total amount of ad vel revs generated by (up to) 1.5 mills capital funding minus district debt service annual payment of debt service ( frozen to that held on March 1, 2017) divided by number of students then back out any state funds (PECO) going to charter school then distribute on per student basis. Does not involve sharing of other sources of capital revenue such as impact fees, voter approved sales tax / millage.

Ending of “tenure light” automatic contract extension

Some school districts have entered into contracts with their teachers’ unions that stipulate automatic contract renewal for teachers rated at least “highly effective” and/or “effective”. This bill clarifies that to be forbidden in the legislation outlawing tenure. SB 856

Title One Directed to Classrooms- (Not version in 1362 that was problematic)

This seems like Title I portability where the “money follows the student” but MANY districts are VERY upset with this provision, presumably because it removes district level planning of resources, but it is difficult to imagine a situation where a principal would create a plan with which the district had concerns. Some said that the issue was that the threshold for applying to Title I schools would be lowered below the district level because the state level would be 75%. This provision would have led to more Title I schools therefore diluting the funding per school. This originally appeared in SB1362 but WAS REMOVED in conference. The money will not be diluted. This section places limitations on the use of funds. This is one of the ways we are able to diminish negative effects.

SUMMARY:

We believe the comprehensive package of reforms and new initiatives included in HB 7069 will create the opportunity for transformational change in Florida’s educational system

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